ITA Airways has launched a new non-stop flight from Rome to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, giving it a second destination in the Kingdom, after a route to Riyadh commenced in June 2024.
Strategic importance for culture and business
Welcomed with a water salute and a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, the 2 August maiden flight was brought forward from an October due date. Its strategic importance was underlined by the presence of various high-level stakeholders, including the Italian Vice Consul General, Irene Buongiorno and ITA and Jeddah airport representatives.
“This new connection enhances commercial and cultural exchanges between the Arabian Peninsula and Italy, providing extensive travel options via our Rome Fiumicino hub,” said ITA Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer and CEO of Volare, Emiliana Limosani.
Atterrati a Gedda, la nostra seconda destinazione in Arabia Saudita nella Summer 2024!
— ITA Airways (@ITAAirways) August 2, 2024
Il primo volo ha ricevuto una calorosa accoglienza al @KAIAirport. Gedda e Roma sono collegate da oggi con tre frequenze settimanali, operate con il nuovo Airbus A321neo.
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We have landed in… pic.twitter.com/7vBmLSNp3K
Configuration and scheduling
Operated on the Airbus A321neo, the flight’s business and leisure target markets are clear from a configuration designed by veteran Italian transport designer Walter de Silva. Offering Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy cabin sections, the craft can serve a potential capacity of 165 passengers who will benefit from cutting edge entertainment systems also designed by de Silva.
The new direct Rome-Jeddah route will fly three times weekly, with Jeddah night-flight departures on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 03:30, getting into Rome around four and a half hours later in time for the working day. Meanwhile the return leg flights from Rome will take off on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 15:05.
Expanding network taps into Gulf tourism plans
ITA Airways, Italy’s flag carrier, is partly government-owned and following lengthy negotiations in spring 2023, Lufthansa took on a 41% stake with the intent to fully acquire the airline over the coming years, a business plan given European Commission approval in July 2024.
Launched in 2020 as the successor to bankrupt Alitalia, ITA now boasts 65 destinations, in a rapidly expanding network that serves 22 countries and offers 393 daily departures. The carrier is set to add further routes serving Dubai and Bangkok this winter.
The expansion into the Arabian Peninsula, with 2600 seats flying weekly into Saudi Arabia alone, is set to boost the airline’s bottom line even more if, as anticipated it succeeds in tapping into the rapid growth in tourism to the Gulf nations driven by plans to diversify away from fossil-fuel led economies, towards travel, tourism, leisure and services.
